Wine Kisses
by MadamBlack23
Summary: Rachel Grimes has a sad past. When she moves from America to Rome, Italy to forget her past she finds a strange restaurant and people. Will she ever be able to overcome her past? And what happens when a silent man starts to intrigue her?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ristorante Paradiso. **

_Urgh. I hate flying! _I thought to myself as I got off the plane. _Makes me sick. _

I looked up at the arrivals and spotted my plane.

_Rome, Italy. _I thought smiling. _Matt would be so jealous._ I made my way through the crowds of people and finally exited the airport. Looking for my ride was a challenge because of all the people, but I finally found a man holding a sigh with the name _"Rachel Grimes." _I walked over to the man and smiled. He was a tall teen, with muscles, wearing a dark suit.

"Hello, my names Rachel Grimes." I said holding my hand out to shake. He smiled and took my hand.

"Hello, I'm Anthony." He replied in is his Italian accent.

"So, are you the one who's taking me to my apartment?" I friendly asked while putting my hands on my hips. He smiled and waved his hand towards a black dodge charger.

"After you Miss. Grimes." He said.

"Why, thank you." I said curtsying. He opened the door and helped me get in.

"Do you want the AC on?" He asked looking over his shoulder after entering the car.

"Sure."

"We'll be there in an hour, so if you need anything just let me know." He told me as he started the car and began to drive. I sat back and could feel my nausea lessened and my muscles begin to relax. Taking out my Ipod, I started to get lost in the depths of music.

_Help! Help! Please somebody! Help us! _

_The fire was intense with heat and blinding with smoke. Tears were running down my face. I watched as the ceiling collapsed onto my family. _

_No! Help! Somebody! My voice cracked. Looking around I found windows not far away from me. Not even thinking about, I ran at the windows and jumped through them. When I landed, I heard many things crack. It wasn't long before I was unconscious. _

"Ss! Iss! Miss! A shout brought me out of my nightmare. I gasped and sat up quickly almost hitting Anthony in the head. I sat there panting and holding my throat gasping for air, "are you alright!"

"Yes!" I said quickly and stepped out of the car. Paying him quickly, I then grabbed my suitcase, and ran inside my apartment building. As I ran up the stairs, I by accident bumped into something.

"Oh!" The woman I bumped into said almost falling to the ground.

"Excuse me!" I told her running up the stairs. I found apartment _13 _and opened the door quickly. Flinging myself into the room, I fell to the ground, and started to cry.

"Help…"

**Reviews! Constructive criticism is always welcomed. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ristorante Paradiso. **

Once I had settled down, I decided that I needed to unpack, and take a nice hot shower. The workout of unpacking was perfect to make me forget everything. It was so much fun deciding where everything went. I still needed a couch, coffee table, and kitchen table with chairs, but that would have to wait. Stepping into the shower, I found it very big. It was comfortable and I had all my shampoos and conditioners out with my body washes and skin products. I smiled and found that I was already starting to feel at home. Stepping out of the shower, I looked in the mirror and raised an eyebrow at my reflection; I was a very short woman with short black hair styled into a bob. I had gray-blue eyes surrounded by a sea of pale ivory skin. I had a very large chest that caused me a lot of back problems, but I had gotten used to it after a while.

"I'll brush my teeth, get dressed, and go out to find food." I mumbled to myself as I reach for my tooth brush, After brushing my teeth I had the adventure of deciding what I was going to wear, "maybe a dress, no, a skirt, no, a dress!" I finally decided on a short red rosette dress. Adding black stilettos and a black fedora, I was almost done with my look. The last and most important ingredient to the outfit was my red lipstick. I almost always had on red lipstick, "okay! Let's go!" I said to no one in particular. Walking out of my apartment and down the stairs, I soon found myself on the streets of Rome. Walking in no particular direction, I turned left. I got glances on the streets, but really didn't pay attention to them. I could hear the _click, click _of my heels on the stone rode. Looking up at the sky, I found the beautiful sunset of reds, oranges, and pinks. When I looked back down to see where I was, I found myself in front of a restaurant.

_Casetta dell'Orso…Casetta Bear? What a strange name. Maybe I should check it out…_I opened the door and warmth suddenly hit. The inside was small and romantic with low lighting and candles. The inside smelt delicious with fresh tomatoes and herbs. My mouth began to water when I heard someone talk next to me.

"Miss?" I turned and found an attractive older man looking down at me. He had a shaved head and was wearing a suit. His dark brown eyes glowed from behind his glasses. I looked at the name tag and found the name _"Vito"_, "Miss?"

"Oh! I'm sorry. I was just a little surprised that's all." I said waving a hand and laughing. He smiled.

"This restaurant is full of surprises." He said nodding in agreement, "do you have a reservation?" I felt my stomach sink. I hung my head.

"No. I'll just have to come by some other time." I said smiling sadly and approaching the door.

"Wait! We do have an open table because somebody canceled." He said smiling I smiled.

"Would it be too much to ask if I have that table?" I asked staring at him. He shook his head and waved his hand towards the inside.

"After you." He said, "but first let me take your coat." He help me take off my black bolero jacket and then showed me to my table. It was the table right under all the wines. It was dark, but not to dark and it fit me perfectly, "would you like me to light a candle."

"No! I mean…no thank you." I told him smiling. He nodded and walked away. I wasn't sitting long before another attractive man came along.

"Hello. My name is Claudio and I'll be taking care of you tonight." He said in a deep voice that made me shiver. He was taller than me, but not that tall. He had light brown hair and a kind smile. He was also wearing glasses.

"Thank you." I said.

"Today for appetizers…" I slowly went to my own world. When he was finished, I told him what I would have, and he bowed. It wasn't long before my dinner was here and I started to eat it. It tasted so good that I could almost cry.

_Matt would be so jealous. _I thought. Right as I had a fork full of food going to my mouth, I heard something beside me. When I looked up, my mouth dropped open, and my eyes went big. There stood an older man with beautiful blonde hair, blue eyes, and glasses. His face was neutral and didn't show any emotion. He was not that taller than me. Without talking, he poured me a glass of wine, and moved away. My eyes didn't leave him until he was out of sight. Looking down at the glass of wine, I took a sip, and gasped. It was the best wine I had ever tasted. I looked back at where the man had stood.

_What is this place?_

**Reviews! Constructive criticism is always welcomed. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ristorante Paradiso. **

Just so I could stay longer in the mystery restaurant, I eat extra slow, and took my time glancing around looking for another chance to spot that man. When I felt it was time to go, I got my food packed up, and started towards the door. I was the last one here.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Vito asked as he got me my coat. I nodded and smiled.

"Yes, very much." I told him as he helped me get into my coat. His fingers grazed my arms as a professional at dressing women. I smiled, "such a lovely restaurant."

"I'm glad you think so." Vito replied.

"Well I'm off! I'll be sure to visit." I told him as I stepped out of the restaurant. Right as I stepped out I heard a loud crack and suddenly fell to the ground. I let out a small scream and felt my head hit the ground.

"Miss!" I heard Vito's voice around me, but the world was spinning. I felt myself being lifted up and brought into a warmer climate. I groaned in pain as my head was jostled.

"Claudio! Help! A woman has hit her head!" Vito screamed to somebody. I couldn't see anything. All I could see was dark red figures. I didn't last along until I fainted.

"How is she?" A voice asked above me. My whole body felt fuzzy and warm.

"I think I know her. I believe she just moved into the apartment next to me." A woman's voice said above. I groaned, "oh I think she's waking up!"I slowly opened my eyes to look at the ceiling. At first all I could see was black spots on the ceiling, but soon it cleared and I could see many men and two women. And glasses? Natural instinct soon took control and I sat up quickly. I let out a scream and whipped my head back and forth. Immediately, I felt pain erupt through my skull.

"Ow!" I shouted placing my hands on my head. I cringed and tried to fight the pain, but it hurt too much.

"Careful!" A woman's voice shouted as I grimaced.

"Too loud." I whispered to the people. They shushed each other and then everything went quiet. I slowly opened my eyes and let them adjust to the light. I found all waiters and cooks staring at me, "thank you."

"You're welcome." A man with dark hair and a beard told me, "are you okay?"

"I think…" I said as I blinked rapidly, "what happened."

"You don't remember?" A woman with red hair asked me.

"Well, I remember my heel breaking and me falling, but after that it's kind of fuzzy." I said laughing.

"That's great, but do you remember who you are and things like that?" An older man with slicked back gray hair asked.

"Of course! My names…my name…is." I looked down at the ground and my eyes started to tear up, "I know my name it's…" I let out a small shout, "I know it!"

"I think we need to take you to the hospital." A older woman with blonde hair said urgently.

"No! I don't need a hospital! I don't like them." I said standing up. I wobbled and fell into a man. He had blonde hair and blue eyes. He was quite attractive with his spectacles, but at the moment I didn't care, "please no hospital."

"Fine, but please calm down." The woman with blonde hair said waving her hands. I nodded and took a deep breath. Stepping away from the man, I slowly pulled myself together.

"I think…I know where you live." The woman with red hair said looking at me.

"Really?" I asked excitedly, "how?"

"I think you just moved into the apartment next to me and you bumped into me on the stairs today." The woman said staring at me. I nodded, "how about I take you back to your apartment and we can try to help you tomorrow?"

"Okay." I agreed quickly.

"Do you have keys to your apartment?" She asked looking at me. I looked in the pockets of my jacket and heard the jingle.

"Yes! And something else…" As I said this I pulled out a black passport. Opening it, I found a picture of a woman with black hair and blue-gray eyes. She was smiling and looked happy, "that's me?"

"Yes." A man with a shaved head said looking over my shoulder.

"My name's…Rachel Grimes…"

**Reviews! And constructive criticism is always welcomed. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ristorante Paradiso. **

Walking back to my apartment, I couldn't help but try to thik of my life. Who I was? What my family was like? Where was my family? No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't remember anything.

"Rachel?" I heard the call, but didn't respond to it, "Rachel!' My head shot up and looked over to my side. Next to me stood Nicoletta and Claudio.

"Oh! Me? I have to get used to that?" I said smiling sheepishly, "yes?" Nicoletta and Claudio gave ch other a look, but turn to me and looked at me worriedly.

"Are you okay? You seemed to be in a daze, but that would, I guess, be expected of someone who just lost their memories." Nicoletta said staring at me. I nodded.

"Yeah. I'm just doing some thinking." I told them.

"Well don't strain yourself. You'll get your memories back soon." Claudio told me smiling. I smiled.

"Yes!" I agreed. When we reach apartment _13_, we parted ways, and stepped into our apartments. I looked around me and found the room filled with empty brown boxes, no couch, and no kitchen table, "I must've just moved into here." I mumbled to myself. Walking into the master bedroom, I began to undress. Just as I had stepped out of my dress and heels, I glanced at the mirror, and gasped. There on this person's stomach was a great, horrible burn and all around it there was red, pink, and white scars.

"What the hell." I said reaching down and touching the scar. I didn't feel anything as my fingertips brush across the burn, "what happened to this person?"

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